Spring clip



June 2, 1970 IJ.V.F|SHER I 3,515,363

SPRING CLIP Filed March 6, 1968 10AM, m aw? 1.5;

United States Patent 3,515,363 SPRING CLIP Julian V. Fisher,Carpenterville, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago,11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 6, 1%8, Ser. No. 726,992 Int.Cl. F16] 3/12 US. Cl. 248-71 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thepresent invention relates generally to means in the form of spring clipsattachable to surfaces of supporting workpieces such as the surface of asupporting panel, said clips being arranged to accommodate and supportone or more elongated elements such as electrical conductors and thelike. This application discloses one embodiment of the invention in theform of a one-piece spring clip of electrically insulating material suchas a suitable plastic, said clip including a base member having meansfor attachment to a supporting work surface, and also including aflexible arm member extending from the general vicinity of one margin ofthe base member or plate, a portion of said arm superimposing the baseplate and spaced therefrom to provide an opening for accommodatingelectrical conductors and the like. The free extremity of the armterminates in the vicinity of a margin of the base plate oppositelydisposed from the first mentioned margin and is provided with shouldermeans adapted for interlocking association with complementary shouldermeans formed integral with the base member.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide springclips having improved, novel and highly efficient means for interlockingthe free extremity of a yieldable arm with complementary means in thegeneral vicinity of one margin of a base member or plate adapted forattachment to a work surface.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates a simple, yetefficiently operable clip wherein shoulder means associated with thefree extremity of the spring arm may be interlocked with the base plateor member by insertion of the free extremity of the arm within novelchannel means on the base member.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedclip of the type set forth above, having a novel arrangement whereby thebase plate member may be flexed laterally to assure firm engagement ofthe base member against the surface of a supporting part such as thesurface of a panel.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description when considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spring clip which is representative ofone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the clip shown in FIG. 1,after said clip has been attached to a workpiece or panel, and aplurality of elongated elements such as electrical conductors aresecured in position with the free extremity of the clip arm interlockedwith the adjacent upper marginal portion of the base member or plate;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of theclip, more clearly to illustrate the structural features of the shouldermeans at the free extremity of the arm and the complementary shouldermeans associated with the upper marginal portion of the base member orplate, said shoulder means being shown in disengaged relation;

FIG. 4 is a view of the clip as seen from the left of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view similar to FIG. 5showing the shoulder means of the clip arm interlocked with thecomplementary shoulder means associated with the upper margin of thebase member or plate.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals have been employedto designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will beseen that one embodiment of a spring clip contemplated by the presentinvention is designated generally by the numeral 10. The clip 10 ispreferably formed of suitable plastic, electrically insulating materialhaving the required degree of inherent firm resiliency. The clip 10includes a base member or plate 12 and an arm member 14 integral withthe base 12 and extending laterally from the lower margin thereof asshown in the drawing and the extending upwardly so as to define a space16 for accommodating one or more elongated elements such as electricalconductors 18, FIG. 2. Opposed margins of the base member or plate 12are preferably enlarged so as to provide surfaces 20 adapted to engagethe complementary surface of a workpiece or panel 22. A section 24 ofthe base plate 12 is of reduced cross-section so as to substantiallyenhance the lateral resiliency thereof as will hereafter be explained.

Formed integral with and extending laterally of the central portion ofthe plate section 24 is a stud type fastener member 26. This fastenermember 26 is preferably of the type which will permit telescopicassociation thereof with a complementary aperture of a workpiece orpanel, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The shank of the fastener 26 issoformed as to facilitate collapsing thereof as it is inserted withinthe work aperture, and upon complete insertion it will spring back toits normal maximum diameter thereby preventing inadvertent orunauthorized removal of the fastener. Shoulders on the stud of thefastener 26 are so disposed with respect to the laterally yieldableplate section 24 and the surfaces 20 that they will not spring radiallyoutwardly into locking engagement with the surface of the panel 22oppositely disposed from the base of the clip, until after the surfaces20 have been pressed firmly against the outer surface of the panel. Thusthe lateral yieldability or resiliency of the plate section 24cooperates in maintaining firm engagement of the surfaces 20' againstthe outer surface of the work or panel member 22 once the fastener studhas been completely inserted by providing take up means to compensatefor tolerance variations in panel thickness. Other forms of attachingmeans can also be utilized as will be apparent, and may include, forexample, adhesive means along the base plate 12 or its enlargement 20.

The free extremity of the arm 14 is provided with shoulder means 28located in the vicinity of complementary shoulder means 30 forming apart of a lip member 32. The free extremity of the arm 14 initially maybe sprung away from the lip 32 sufliciently to permit the associationtherewith of one or more elongated elements such as the electricalconductors 18 previously referred to. After assembly of the conductorswithin the space 16 bounded by the resilient arm 14, the shoulder meansof the arm may be telescopically associated with a complementary recess34 formed by the space between the lip 32 and the adjacent marginal areaof the base plate 12. The lip 32 is sufficiently resilient so as topermit complete insertion of the free extremity of the arm 14 andultimate interlocking of the shoulder means 28 thereof with thecomplementary shoulder means 30. It will be recognized that thedisposition of the. complementary recess 34 can be angularly varied toinclude a vertical as well as a horizontal position relative to the baseplate 12 where the require ments of installation or accommodation ofconductors warrant such a design.

Attention is directed to a recess 36 provided at the free extremity ofthe arm 14. This recess is adapted to receive and interlock with acomplementary protuberance 38 on the plate member 12, FIGS. 3 and 5.Interlocking of the protuberance 28 with the complementary recess 36 inthe arm 14 secures said arm against any possible movement in a directiontransverse to the direction of telescopic insertion of the freeextremity of the arm with the recess 34. Thus any forces actinglongitudinally of the conductors 18 will not cause disengagement of thefree extremity of the arm 14 from the abovementioned recess 34. Byproviding longitudinal strengthening ribs 40 and transversestrengthening ribs 42 along the outer surface of the arm 14, said armmay be made relatively thin and yet possess the desired degree ofyieldable firmness.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventioncontemplates a spring clip construction of very practical andinexpensive form. The one-piece structure makes it possible to producethe clip by the practice of conventional molding methods, and thus thecost of manufacture is kept to a minimum. The improved structure forassociating the free extremity of the resilient arm with the adjacentmarginal structure of the base member or plate facilitates the ease withwhich the inter locking of such parts may be accomplished and assuresagainst unauthorized separation of the parts once the interlock has beenestablished. By employing the flexible lip arrangement, the ease withwhich the free extremity of the arm, including the shoulder means 28associated therewith, may be interlocked with the shoulder means 30 ofthe lip 32 is greatly facilitated. This same resiliency also serves tomaintain said interlocked relation after the shoulder means of the armand lip member have been interlocked. Any tendency to cause relativemovement between the arm and the plate in a direction transverse to thedirection of insertion of the free extremity of the arm is effectivelyresisted by the use of the protuberance and recess arrangement describedherein.

Thus the present invention contemplates the provision of a new andimproved spring clip in which the resilient arm thereof is securedpositively against separation in one direction due to the presence ofthe shoulder means, and in a transverse direction because of thepresence of the protuberance and recess arrangement referred to above.By employing the thickened end margin of the plate and integrallaterally yieldable relatively thin plate extending therebetween, a firmgrip of the clamping surfaces of the plate member against a supportingwork surface is assured.

. While for purposes of illustration certain structural features of asprtng clip of the type contemplated by the present invention have beenshown, it should be understood that other structural modifications andchanges are contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

, The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A one-piece spring clip formed of electrically insulating materialfor supporting elements such as electrical conductors and the like,including a base plate member, one side of which is adapted forengagement with a supporting work surface such as the surface of apanel, work attaching means associated with said side of the basemember, a flexible arm member extending from the general vicinity of afirst margin of said plate section and superimposing the opposite sideof said base member in suflicient spaced relation to define an openingfor accommodating elongated elements such as electrical conductors andthe like, said arm having a free extremity provided with shoulder meansand terminating in the general vicinity of a second margin of said basemember oppositely disposed from said first margin, and arm interlockingmeans formed integral with the base member in the general vicinity ofsaid second margin and including a laterally yieldable lip sectionsuperimposing and spaced from said second margin of said base member andalso including shoulder means for interlocking with the shoulder meansof said arm, said lip section being laterally yieldable to permitinsertion of the shoulder means of said arm in a given direction withinthe space between said lip section and said second margin of the basemember and to thereafter urge the shoulder means of said arm and arminterlocking means into interlocked relation.

2. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shouldermeans of the arm is positioned externally thereof.

3. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shouldermeans of the arm interlocking means is located on the inner surface ofthe lip.

4. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shouldermeans of the arm is positioned on the outer surface thereof and theshoulder means of the arm interlocking means is located on the innerside of the lip.

5. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1, wherein the armincludes a relatively thin strip of stock equipped with reinforcingribs.

6. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the basemember includes an intermediate, relatively thin, laterally flexiblesection bounded by opposite marginal sections providing work engagingsurfaces.

7. A one piece spring clip as set forth in claim 6, wherein the workengaging surfaces of the opposite marginal sections project beyond theadjacent bounding plane of said flexible section.

8. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 1 having interlockingmeans between the free extremity of the arm and said base to secure saidparts against separation in a direction transverse to the aforementioneddirection.

9. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 8 wherein saidinterlocking means includes a protuberance and recess means foraccommodating said protuberance.

10. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 8 wherein saidinterlocking means includes a protuberance on the base member and recessmeans in the vicinity of the free extremity of the arm for accommodatingsaid protuberance.

11. A one-piece spring clip as set forth in claim 9 wherein theprotuberance is positioned in the general vicinity of a margin of saidbase member.

12. A one-piece spring clip formed of electrically insulating materialfor supporting elements such as electrical conductors and the like,including a base plate member, one side of which is adapted forengagement with a supporting work surface such as the surface of apanel, work attaching means associated with said one side of the basemember, a flexible arm member extending from the general vicinity of afirst margin of said base member and superimposing the opposite side ofbase member in sufficient spaced relation to define an opening foraccommodating elongated elements such as electrical conductors and thelike, said arm having a free extremity provided with shoulder meanshaving a predetermined thickness and terminating in the general vicinityof a second margin of said base member oppositely disposed from saidfirst margin, and arm interlocking means formed integral with the basemember in the general vicinity of said second margin and includingshoulder means having a similar predetermined thickness for intrlockingwith the shoulder means of said arm, one of said shoulder means having alaterally yieldable lip section cooperating therewith to.

define a restricted throat therebetween, said throat having an initialdimension substantially less than said predetermined thickness of saidshoulder means, said lip section 5 6 being laterally yieldable to permitintersection of one of 2,657,894 11/1953 Sklenar Y 248-239 the shouldermeans in a given direction within the re- 3,154,281 10/1964 Frank .3....248-201 stricted throat area between said lip section and its co-3,126,184 3/1964 Kropp 248-73 operating shoulder means and to thereafterurge the 3,163,712 12/1964 Cochran 248-71 X shoulder means of said armand arm interlocking means 3,423,055 1/1969 Fisher 5. 248-73 intoresiliently urged interlocked relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS US. Cl. X.R.

2,352,856 7/1944 Morehouse 248-74 10 24-73;248-74 2,354,485 7/1944Slaughter 248-74 X CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner

